Main Menu   Sites

East Grand Canyon

AZ: Coconino Co.

rule

Site map for East Grand CanyonIntroduction. The sites considered here are all within the eastern portion of the park, two within the main canyon and six in tributary canyons. Because of past vandalism, Grand National National Park has requested that cave names and locations not be revealed. All of the sites are represented on the map by the dot in the eastern part of the park and all of the sites are treated in this single account. In the taxon accounts and the site accounts below, the sites are identified by the numbers assigned by the National Park Service (Mead et al. 2003). It is assumed here that all are in Coconino County.

Cave CC:5:1

AZ:Coconino Co., 1155

Age. 14C dates range from 10,950 ± 70 to 44,480 ± 1700, thus ranging from mid through late Wisconsin time (Mead et al. 2003).

General Description. This is a large cave on a sheer cliff. Current entry requires either flight or rope. However, it appears that in the past there was a narrow ledge allowing entry to agile terrestrial animals (Mead et al. 2003).

Fauna.

Lampropeltis sp.—King Snakes (Mead et al. 2003) (Cf.)
Lemmiscus curtatus—Sagebrush Vole (Mead et al. 2003)
Neotoma cinerea—Bush-tailed Woodrat (Mead et al. 2003)
Peromyscus sp.— (Mead et al. 2003)
Oreamnos harringtoni Harrington's Mountain Goat (Mead et al. 2003)

Cave CC:5:2

AZ:Coconino Co., 1155 m

Age. 14C dates range within the mid Wisconsin from 39,170 ± 890 to 42,930 ± 1330 (Mead et al. 2003).

General Description. This is a small cave with multiple entrances, reachable by birds, rodents, and mountain goats (Mead et al. 2003).

Fauna.

Phrynosoma hernandesi—Mountain Short-horned Lizard Mead et al. 2003)
Gymnogyps californianus—California Condor (Mead et al. 2003)
Peromyscus sp.—Deer Mice (Mead et al. 2003)
Sylvilagus sp.—Cottontails (Mead et al. 2003)
Neotoma sp.—Woodrats (Mead et al. 2003)

Cave CC:5:3

AZ:Coconino Co., 1170 m

Age. Mid Wisconsin, with a 14C date of 39,220 ± 1600 on dung of Harrington's Mountain Goat (Mead et al. 2003).

General Description. This cave is located on a cliff face with no direct access by terrestrial animals; presumably a narrow ledge providing access was present in the past (Mead et al. 2003).

Fauna.

Neotoma sp.—Woodrats (Mead et al. 2003)
Oreamnos harringtoni—Harrington's Mountain Goat (Mead et al. 2003)
Euceratherium collinum—Shrub-ox (Mead et al. 2003) (Cf.)

Cave CC:5:4

AZ:Coconino Co., 1155 m

Age. Late Wisconsin, with a 14C date of 12,400 ± 70.

General Description. This is an extensive cave with the mouth opening on a cliff face; however, there is limited access from the plateau above (Mead et al. 2003).

Fauna.

Phrynosoma hernandesi—Mountain Short-horned Lizard Mead et al. 2003).

Cave CC:5:5

AZ:Coconino Co., 1155 m

Age. 14C dates range from 13,970 ± 90 to 46,370 ± 3270 (Mead et al. 2003).

General Description. A talus slope provides easy access from the plateau above, and the mouth is large enough to allow access to all but the largest mammals.

Fauna.

Diadophis punctatus—Ring-necked Snake (Mead et al. 2003)
Microtus sp.— (Mead et al. 2003)
Neotoma cinerea—Bushy-tailed Woodrat (Mead et al. 2003)
Peromyscus sp.—Deer Mice (Mead et al. 2003)
Spermophile—Spermophile (Mead et al. 2003)

Mead et al. (2003) wrote before the genus Spermophilus was split into several genera, recording the genus Spermophilus from this site. The size was said to be too large for the small squirrels then in the subgenus Ictidomys. Suggestions included the larger members of what is now considered to belong to the genus Urocitellus, none of which currently are in the Grand Canyon or the Colorado Plateau.

Ovis canadensis—Bighorn Sheep (Mead et al. 2003)
Oreamnos harringtoni—Harrington's Mountain Goat (Mead et al. 2003)

Cave CC:5:6

AZ:Coconino Co., 915 m

Age. 14C dates from Mead et al. (2003) are >33,100 and >29,900.

General Description. This cave is located only about 30 m above the Colorado River.

Fauna.

Equus sp.—Horse (Mead et al. 2003)

About the size of a burro (Mead et al. 2003).

Camelops hesternus—Yesterday's Camel (Mead et al. 2003)
Oreamnos harringtoni—Harrington's Mountain Goat (Mead et al. 2003)
Bison sp.—Bison (Mead et al. 2003)

Cave CB:8:1

AZ:Coconino Co., 1413 m

Age. 14C dates were unavailable at the time of writing by Mead et al. (2003), but they assumed on the basis of preservation that all were of Rancholabrean and Wisconsin age.

General Description. This is a small limestone shelter with an extensive platform below it; only surface remains were collected (Mead et al. 2003)

Fauna.

Puma concolor—Mountain Lion (Mead et al. 2003)
Euceratherium collinum—Shrub-ox (Mead et al. 2003)

NAUQSP Locality 991

AZ:Coconino Co., 1140 m

Age. A 14C date of 16,620 ± 110 is available (Mead et al. 2003).

General Description.

This is a woodrat midden from an isolated crevice away from any cave (Mead et al. 2003).

Fauna.

Neotoma sp.—Woodrats (Mead et al. 2003)

Literature. Mead et al. 2003.

rule

Last Update: 16 Nov 2012